What Every Homeowner Should Do Before Hurricane Season Peaks

1. Know Your Risk

Determine if you’re in an area susceptible to tropical storms by doing some quick online research or checking your local weather sites. This is particularly important if you've moved to a new house in a different neighborhood, as even nearby locations can have different hurricane and flood risks based on various factors. 

“Coastal zones have the highest risks of hurricane impacts from damaging winds and storm surges. Counties determine their own hurricane evacuation zones based on storm surge vulnerability mapping,” explains Mark Friedlander, senior director of Media Relations for the Insurance Information Institute. “While the boundaries are modeled using data provided by the National Hurricane Center, each county’s local emergency management office designates the specific zones and issues evacuation orders for those areas when warranted.”^[3]

2. Stay Informed

Meteorologists usually can predict a hurricane's path three to five days in advance. Once a hurricane hits, conditions last an average of 12 to 18 hours, up to 24 for slow-moving ones. NOAA's new drone-assisted technology is expected to increase hurricane intensity forecast accuracy by 10%.^[7]

Hurricanes can be deceiving — the day before, it could be sunny. That's why you must pay close attention to weather reports or warnings from local authorities.

"Never rely on a single source of information," advises Joe Basset, founder and survival instructor for Valiant Outfitters, LLC. "Your first line of information is smartphones, municipal alerts, and weather apps. Also, check with your local city, town, or county to see what systems they use. But realize that communication infrastructure failures are common during hurricanes, so have a backup plan that includes an AM/FM transistor radio and an NOAA weather radio." ^[8]

3. Prepare Your Emergency Supplies

Gather these essential emergency items well ahead of a major storm:

• Water: At least one gallon per person per day.
• Food: A 7- to 14-day supply of non-perishable items such as canned goods and protein bars, plus a manual can opener.
• First aid kit: Bandages, antiseptics, scissors, and any necessary personal medical items.
• Fully charged portable power banks and charging cords for your smartphones.
• Tools and supplies: a multi-tool or Swiss Army knife, whistle to signal for help, plastic sheeting, and duct tape in case you need to cover windows.
• Flashlight with extra batteries, or a hand-crank flashlight.
• NOAA weather radio, battery-operated or hand-cranked, with tone alerts.
• Personal hygiene items: soap, hand sanitizer, toothbrush, toothpaste, and feminine hygiene products.
• Prescription medications that should last 7 to 14 days.

"You should actually have two separate emergency kits. One should be a single-container hurricane box that holds the essential supplies a family needs to safely shelter in place during a hurricane in the days that follow," Bassett says. "Every family member should also have their own 72-hour 'go-bag.' The go-bag should include water, food, medications, a flashlight, batteries, phone chargers, copies of important documents, cash, clothing, hygiene items, and basic first aid supplies."

5. Prepare Your Home

Whether or not you evacuate or stay put, your home should be as safe and protected as possible. Follow these best practices:

• Trim trees on your property so fewer dead or unhealthy branches can become projectiles.
• Remove debris from drains and drain pipes.
• Consider installing storm shutters or impact-resistant windows.
• Board up windows to protect them from flying debris.
• Bring loose outdoor items such as patio furniture inside.
• Secure all doors and windows.
• Move your car inside a garage or to another safe location.
• Upgrade to an IBHS’ FORTIFIED Roof to strengthen your roof against high winds.^[9]
• Install a permanent or portable generator. 
• Use sandbags, reusable water-activated tubes, or temporary perimeter barriers to protect entryways from rising stormwater.
• Install a bracing kit on your garage door or an impact-rated door.

6. Secure Important Documents

After you've made sure your home’s exterior and garage are resilient, take stock of what's inside that you need to keep safe.

Keep hardcopy insurance policies, documents, and other valuables in a safe-deposit box, which will decrease the chance of damage during a hurricane or a resulting flood. Also, take digital photos of important documents on your phone and store them in the cloud.

7. Gather Supplies

Your emergency kit is invaluable, but you’ll also want to ensure you have additional items ready in advance of a storm. 

• Fill up the gas tanks in your vehicles in case you need to evacuate by car.
• Be sure all phones are charged in case of a power outage.
• Make sure you have plenty of any necessary prescription medicines.
• Gather any specialty items needed, such as formula and diapers for infants, and supplies for elderly family members, loved ones with health issues, and pets.

8. Shelter in Place

Depending on where you’re located and the severity of the storm, you may not be required to evacuate. If you stay home, plan to stay safe. 

• When the storm is about to hit, move to a small interior room on the lowest level of your home, such as a closet or hallway. 
• Put as many walls between you and the outside as possible, and stay away from windows, skylights, or glass doors. 
• When the eye of the storm passes over, it may seem as though you’re out of the woods, but hang tight inside your home because hurricane-force winds will be coming from the opposite direction.
• Tornadoes can sometimes form after hurricanes, so continue listening to weather reports and updates from your local officials before leaving safety.

Swanson cautions that standard homeowners policies don’t cover rising water, which includes storm surges, overflowing rivers or lakes, and rainwater accumulating on the ground and entering your home. That’s why it’s a good idea to purchase flood insurance, available separately through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or via a private insurer.

Note that if you live in a high-risk area, insurance companies might limit or withhold wind damage coverage. If it’s not included as part of your home insurance policy, you can seek out a special endorsement. Reach out to your carrier for more details if you’re unsure what’s in your policy. 

Also ask your insurer about additional living expense coverage: If you’re forced from your home due to a covered peril, your insurer may pay some of the expenses you incur from being displaced.

“It’s also worth pulling out your policy’s declarations page before peak hurricane season and taking a close look at your deductibles, because you may have more than one,” continues Swanson. “A kitchen fire claim might carry a flat $2,500 deductible, but a wind damage claim after a major storm could trigger a separate hurricane or windstorm deductible coverage, often 3% to 5%. On a home insured for $400,000, that’s $12,000 to $20,000 out-of-pocket for your coverage to kick in.”

These percentage deductibles are increasingly common in coastal and storm-prone states. For better peace of mind, know your deductible numbers ahead of time and establish an emergency fund that can cover them if necessary.

Lastly, carefully inventory possessions inside and around your home by taking photos and gathering receipts and documentation – steps that will pay off if you need to file a claim later.

10. After the Storm

Once you're safe from the storm, begin the claims process as soon as possible.

"Many insurers provide mobile apps where you can file a claim and track progress throughout the claims process. You can also contact your carrier directly or your insurance agent to file a claim," says Friedlander.

Prepare an inventory of damaged or destroyed items and provide a copy to the claims adjuster along with copies of any receipts. Don't discard damaged items until the adjuster has visited. Record video or photos of the damage; if your property was destroyed, work from memory.

"Next, identify structural damage to your home and other structures such as a garage, gazebo, fence, tool shed, or in-ground swimming pool," Friedlander adds. "Make a list of everything you want to show the adjuster, such as cracks in the walls and missing roof tiles. You should also get your electrical system checked – most insurance companies pay for these inspections as part of the claims process."

Be cautious of unscrupulous actors, such as unlicensed independent adjusters and shady contractors aiming to take advantage of storm victims.

"Never sign a contract for repairs until you have discussed it with your insurer's assigned claims adjuster," cautions Friedlander.

Keep in mind that your policy should include additional living expenses or loss of use, which will cover temporary living costs if you're displaced from your home after a storm.

"Many carriers will arrange temporary lodging with direct billing from hotels so that you don't have to pay anything out-of-pocket. This coverage should cover hotel bills, restaurant meals, and expenses above and beyond what your customary living expenses would be at home," Friedlander says.

Recovery from a natural disaster is a gradual process, and hurricanes are no exception. It's going to take time to get back to normal, especially after damage or displacement. Be patient with yourself, and don't be afraid to ask for help from friends, family, and your community.